William Lenthall

(1591-1662), Speaker of the House of Commons

Sitter in 9 portraitsTrained in the law, he was chosen as Speaker of the House at the beginning of the Long Parliament in November 1640. During the civil wars, he sided with Parliament. He continued as Speaker in the first Parliament held under Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate in 1654, and after the collapse of the Protectorate in 1659, he was Speaker of the restored Long Parliament. Although he supported the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660, he was thereafter barred from public office. He regained royal favour by testifying against a man accused of participating in the trial and execution of Charles I in 1649.

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